
This product offers a good level of protection against both UVB and UVA rays.
It is a mineral sunscreen. In other words, it contains non-organic UV filters. It will probably not sting your eyes but might leave a white cast.
This product can be considered "reef safe" because it does not contain the UV filters (oxybenzone and octinoxate) that can be harmful to coral reefs when present in the water in high concentrations.
This product can help prevent early signs of skin aging because it offers a good level of broad spectrum sun protection. Sun damage is the main cause of premature skin aging, and protecting your skin from the sun is the best anti-aging strategy.
This product offers broad spectrum sun protection. It means that it can prevent hyperpigmentation and help keep the skin tone even (sun damage is the main factor causing age spots, darkening of post-acne marks and other discolorations).
This product contains antioxidants (camellia sinensis leaf extract, rubus idaeus seed oil) that might be able to help neutralize free radicals in skin to lessen the damage it gets from the UV light (sun). There is not enough evidence to confirm their effectiveness in skin though.
“The 100% mineral, lightweight gel formula absorbs quickly, leaving skin hydrated but not greasy,”
This product can help improve hydration of the skin with the two types of ingredients.
The first type is called “humectants”:
these ingredients help attract water.
When humectants are on the surface of the skin, they “pull in” the moisture from the outside environment, or from
within deeper layers of the skin. The following ingredients in this product do the job:
glycerin, inositol.
This product also contains ingredients called “occlusives”. They help reduce the speed with which our skin loses moisture to the outside environment. These ingredients also help soften the upper layer of the skin, so it feels less tight and nicer to the touch. The following ingredients in this product do the job: bis-diglyceryl polyacyladipate-2, caprylic/capric triglyceride.
1 of 1 community members would buy it again.
This is a good matte sunscreen for people with fair skin. It does leave a slight white cast but since it has a slight green tint it does camouflage redness. I don’t like that it pills.
Filter by role to see what each ingredient is doing.
A broad spectrum sunblock (protects from both UVA and UVB rays). Is suitable for most sensitive skins. In small concentrations, can be used as a colorant
More about Zinc oxideA good mix of fatty acids that forms a protective layer on the skin. Improves the shelf life of products. Derived from coconut and glycerin
More about Caprylic/capric triglycerideActs as a solvent for other ingredients. Speeds up the absorption of other ingredients into the skin
More about PropanediolHelps soften the upper layer of the skin and create a nice product texture
More about C15-19 alkaneHelps soften the upper layer of the skin and reduce water loss from its surface
More about Bis-diglyceryl polyacyladipate-2A synthetic ester of salicylic acid that is used to help disperse pigments and boost effectiveness of sunscreen ingredients. It is able to absorb UV light (working as an organic, or chemical filter), but is not approved as a sunscreen ingredient on its own
More about Butyloctyl salicylateSoftens the upper layer of the skin and can support skin barrier function
More about EctoinA marine extract that helps attract water to the upper layer of the skin. It is claimed to have anti-inflammatory properties but research is lacking
More about Alteromonas ferment extractA plant oil that might be able to help neutralize free radicals in skin
More about Rubus idaeus seed oilCan contain potent anti-oxidant compounds (abbreviated ECG, GCG, EGC, and EGCG) that might help protect the skin from free radicals. Can help calm down inflammation and has some anti-bacterial properties. Unfortunately, these antioxidants are unstable and lose their effectiveness very quickly in products. The concentration of the antioxidant compounds in the extract also tends to be low to be effective in topical formulation
More about Camellia sinensis leaf extractRed algae extract that helps attract water to the upper layer of the skin and might contain antioxidants
More about Corallina officinalis extractA plant extract that might have some anti-oxidant effect
More about Curcuma longa leaf extractA plant extract that might be helpful to neutralize free radicals in skin
More about Melia azadirachta flower extractA plant extract that has anti-bacterial properties. Can be used to preserve the product. Can be irritating
More about Melia azadirachta leaf extractA plant oil that helps soften the upper layer of the skin. Is unlikely to be helpful in restoring skin barrier function due to the low content of linoleic acid
More about Moringa oleifera seed oilA plant extract that is rich in a fragrance compound eugenol that is a frequent allergen and can be irritating. It might also contain anti-oxidants to help neutralize free radicals
More about Ocimum sanctum leaf extractEggplant fruit extract. Might have some anti-oxidant effect
More about Solanum melongena fruit extractA plant extract that might have some anti-oxidant effect helping neutralize free radicals in skin
More about Coccinia indica fruit extractPure form of vitamin E. Can help moisturise and protect the skin from free radicals. Often used to help stabilise other ingredients or the formula itself
More about TocopherolAn active component of chamomile plant that historically has been used to calm down irritated skin. A recent study shows that bisabolol indeed can have some anti-inflammatory effect on skin, even though conclusive data is lacking. Bisabolol has a sweet floral scent and can be added to products for its aromatic properties
More about BisabololUsed as a cleansing agent (surfactant) in cleansers. Helps water and oil mix together in lotions. Can be irritating
More about Coco-glucosideHelps attract water to the upper layer of the skin. Could be helpful in restoring the skin barrier function
More about GlucoseOne of the best moisturizing ingredients. Naturally present in skin. It attracts water to the upper layer of the skin working as a humectant
More about GlycerinUsed to create a thicker product consistency
More about Xanthan gumUsed to soften the upper layer of the skin and create a thicker product consistency
More about Arachidyl alcoholNon-drying alcohol that helps water and oil mix together. Also serves as an emollient
More about Behenyl alcoholA non-drying alcohol. Works as an emollient. Helps water and oil mix together and creates a nice product texture
More about Cetearyl alcoholUsed to create a nice product texture
More about Isostearic acidUsed mostly for creating emulsions - helping oil and water mix together. Helps soften the upper layer of the skin
More about LecithinHelps to attract water to the upper layer of the skin
More about Polyglycerin-3Helps oil and water mix together
More about Polyglyceryl-3 polyricinoleateUsed to create a thicker product consistency and stabilize the formulation
More about Polyhydroxystearic acidUsed to dissolve other ingredients and to improve smell of products. It could be irritating
More about T-butyl alcoholHelps to control the skin's pH level. Maintains the skin's natural film of amino-lactic acids and oils. Helps to preserve products
More about Sodium citrateCan work as an exfoliant but is typically used to adjust the product pH
More about Citric acidA "broth" with parts of dead cells of lactobacteria. Might be helpful supporting diverse microbiome in skin, but evidence is lacking
More about Lactobacillus ferment lysateUsed to create a nice product texture and help delivery of other ingredients. Might be somewhat helpful in attracting water to the upper layer of the skin
More about Butylene glycolHelps preserve products and creates a nice product texture
More about Caprylyl glycolZinc oxide, Water, Caprylic/capric triglyceride, C13-15 alkane, Propanediol, C15-19 alkane, Bis-diglyceryl polyacyladipate-2, Butyloctyl salicylate, Ectoin, Alteromonas ferment extract, Harungana madagascariensis extract, Ipomoea batatas root extract, Rubus idaeus seed oil, Camellia sinensis leaf extract, Corallina officinalis extract, Curcuma longa leaf extract, Melia azadirachta flower extract, Melia azadirachta leaf extract, Moringa oleifera seed oil, Ocimum sanctum leaf extract, Oryza sativa hull extract, Solanum melongena fruit extract, Coccinia indica fruit extract, Tocopherol, Bisabolol, Amber powder, Coco-glucoside, Glucose, Glycerin, Xanthan gum, 1,2-hexanediol, Caprylhydroxamic acid, Arachidyl alcohol, Arachidyl glucoside, Hydroxyacetophenone, Polyacrylate crosspolymer-6, Behenyl alcohol, Cetearyl alcohol, Isostearic acid, Lecithin, Polyglycerin-3, Polyglyceryl-3 lactate/laurate, Polyglyceryl-3 polyricinoleate, Polyhydroxystearic acid, Silica, T-butyl alcohol, Sodium benzoate, Sodium citrate, Sodium dilauramidoglutamide lysine, Sodium phytate, Citric acid, Inositol, Lactobacillus ferment lysate, Saccharomyces lysate, Butylene glycol, Caprylyl glycol
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Match % combines shared ingredients, the first five ingredients, shared actives and hero ingredients, irritancy (lower counts in the alternative's favour), texture and body area. Only products in the same routine step are compared.
| Hero CosmeticsForce Shield Superlight Sunscreen SPF 30YOUR PRODUCT | Farmacy BeautyGreen Defense Daily Mineral Sunscreen | BABORProtect RX Mineral SPF30 Sunscreen | Live TintedHueguard Mineral SPF | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Match | — | 39% | 39% | 38% |
| Price | $15.74 | $32.26+$16.52 | — | $36.00+$20.26 |
| Shared key ingredients | — | 7 of 14 | 7 of 14 | 8 of 14 |
| Key difference | — | Gluconolactone | Gluconolactone | Biosaccharide Gum-1 |
| Irritancy | Medium | Low | Low | Medium |
| SPF | SPF 30 | SPF 30 | SPF 30 | SPF 30 |
| Drying alcohol | — | — | — | — |
| View product | Shop | Shop | Shop |
More alternatives: Sonrei CLEARLY ZINQ SPF 60 MINERAL SUNSCREEN GELSupergoop! Mineral Sheerscreen SPF 30
We assess that "Hero Cosmetics - Force Shield Superlight Sunscreen SPF 30" can provide reliable sun protection based on the ingredient list. It can protect from both UVA and UVB rays. This is great news because not all sunscreens with SPF ratings give UVA protection. (UVA rays do not cause sunburn, but still damage our skin and lead to early aging).
Its formula is also hydrating, so you might not need an additional moistruizer during the day. Like all broad-spectrum sunscreens, this product helps prevent early signs of aging.
This sunscreen uses a mixture of both mineral and organic (so-called "chemical") UV filters. Here are the organic filters this product uses: butyloctyl salicylate. As for the mineral filters, this sunscreen uses zinc oxide.
This product contains actives that can be irritating. We assess the overall irritancy of it to be medium. For a detailed overview of all potential irritants: click here
You can see the detailed formula review with the breakdown of all actives in the product and the full ingredient list with estimated concentrations in the tables below.
According to Cruelty-Free Kitty "Hero Cosmetics" is cruelty free, but its parent company is not.
The product retails for 19.99$ in the United States.
For a detailed price comparison: click here.
Every concentration estimate and effectiveness label is anchored to one of these 21 studies and safety reviews.
Affiliate links · As an Amazon Associate, WIMJ earns from qualifying purchases.